Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-29
DIP. TALMAGE.
The distinguished speaker rose, cam'
forward, and said

TIE distinguished speaker rose, came
forward, and said:
MI President and other Officers Of the Vir-
/ giuia Bible Society, and all OF its Members and
/ FTieuds,-I feel a great pleasure in standing
i'm this cons ecratcd place and in addressing this
! vast assembly, and congratulate the society
upCn ire work IL has been doing.
Ii is through such efforts as yours and KIN
dreI institutions that this whole city is 10 be
redeemed. England for manufacture, Ger
many for scholarship, France for manners,
Italy for pictures. and the United States for
OId books 70 out Of date. When they were
written they discussed questions which were
being discussed; they struck at wrongs which
bad long ago ceased or advocated institutions
which excite not our interest Wore they COOKS
Of history. the facts hayo been gathered from
the imperfect mass, better classified. and moro
lucidly presented. Were they books OF poetry,
they were iuterlocked with wild mythologtes,
which have gone up from the face Of the earth
like msts al sunrise. We're they books OF
morals civilization viii not sit at the feet OF
barbarsm. neither do we want SapphO, Pytha-
gOras. and Tully TO teach US morals. Whatdo the
masses Of people care now for the pathos OF
Slmonidcs. or the sarcasm OF Menander. or the
gracefulness OF Philemon, or the wit OF Arlsto-
phancss Even the old books We have left, with
n few exceptions, have but very little effect
uu0n our times. Books are human; they have
a time 10 be born, they are fondlod. they grow
in strength. they have middle-llie
Of usefulness; then comes OLD age, they
tottOr and they die. Many OF the ma
tional libraries are merely the cemeteries Of
dead rocks Some Of them lived nagiuous
lives and died deaths of ignominy. some were
yirtuous and accomplished glorious mission:
Some went into the ashes through lnqulsltoflal
fires. some found their funeral pile in sacked
and plundered cities. Some were neglected
ard died as fOundlincs at the door OF science
Some expired in the authors study, others IN
tho Dublishers' hands Ever and anon there
comes intO y0ur possession an old book, lts
author forgotten and its usefulness done, ana
with leathcm lips 10 seems 10 say wish
were dead Monuments have been raised over
noets and phianthropists. Would that some tall
shaft might he erected in honor OF the world
buried books. The worlds authors would
make pilgrimage thereto and poetry and iitera-
tufe and science ana religion TOulu conse-
crate itWith their tears
THE BOOK OF BOOKS.
Not 90 with one old Book. IL started in the
worlds infancy. Ii grew under theocracy and
monarchy Ii wthstOod storms OF fire. Ii
0rev under prophets mantle and under the
fisherman's coat OF the apostles. In home. ana
Ephesus, aud Jerusalem, aud PatmOe. Tyran-
nv issued odicts against il. and inhdelity put
ont me tongue, and AOhammedanism from its
Mosques hurled its anathemas, but the old
Bible lived. Itcrossed the British channel, aud
was greeted by Wickline ana james l. IL
crossed the Atlantic and struck Plymouth Rock,
until ike that Of Horeb, II gushed with blessed
ness Churches aud esylums have gathered all
along It's way. ringing their bolls, and stretch
ing out thoir hands OF blessing; and every
Sabbafh there are sixty thousand heralds Of
tbe cross with their hands on this open, grand,
free old English Bible. But IL will not have
accomplished its mission until II has climbed
fbe lev mountains OF Greenland. until II has
zone over the granite cliffs Of China, until IL
Eas thrown its glow amid the Australian mines,
uUti Il hrs scattered its gems among the dia-
mond districts Of Brazil, and all thrones shall
be gathered into one throne eDd all crowns
- ravolutiOn shall le Vnqlfad tufD
ono crown. ard this Book shall al the very gate
~ heaven have waved In the raEsOmed enn-
nires-pot until then will this glorious Bible
nave accomplished It's mission.
Az EXPERIENCE on THE CARS
wasn't surprised when some years ago on
my way 10 New Orleans ! saw gentleman
take small copy Of the Bible from his pocket.
read it, close IL. kies II, and put u back into
hie pocfet While sometimes In courts OF law
men irroyerently ktas the Book, am sure
there are hundreds OF people here who Ia
memory Of what the Book has been TO them In
the past, and In Expectation OF all II shall be
~ Them Ia the future, could pressit 10 their nps
with kiss OF undyingloPe.
Yug FEST PART or HIS LBoAcY.
When my parents died the best part OF the |
iaeaesy received was the family Bible. That
A. the most beautiful book ever owned. With 4
that they coneecrnted their union on their mar
riaee-day. That was the Book that cOnsoled
them when their children died. Here and there !
the pages are soiied, and here and there is the
marx Of a tear. Dear old Book. how ieafed |
YOU, seated on my mothers lap look
ing ut the pictures. while she studied the |
promises. May all Joy fiy my heart and my
SIGHT 10 out into darkness, and all sweet sounds
become 70 fne discord, and my name be ac-
cursed, II ever forget 20 honor and revere and |
love my mothers Bible.
IMPRESSIONS or ADMIRATION.
There are three or four expressions Of admi-
rsiion wish " mako IN regsrd 70 th,t Boeg.